Adjustable gang nail holder



Oct. 8', 1968 c. A. DAVIS ADJUSTABLE GANG NAIL HOLDER Filed April 11, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IVVf/VTOR MM Oct. 8, 1968 c. A. DAVIS ADJUSTABLE GANG NAIL HOLDER Filed April 11, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 0a. 8, 1968 1 A. DAVIS 3,404,824

ADJUSTABLE GANG NAIL HOLDER Filed April 11, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet s' Oct. 8, 1968 c. A. DAVIS 3,404,824

ADJUSTABLE GANG NAIL HOLDER Filed April 11, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 g y a 225N701? United States Patent 3,404,824 Y ADJUSTABLE GANG NAILHOLDER Charles A. Davis, Saugus,'Mass., assignor to W. J. Young Machinery Co., Inc., Peabody, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 541,546 8 Claims. (Cl. 227-140) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A nail holder for use with gang nailing shoe machines having a frame supporting a pair of nailing blocks with each block having a plurality of holes extending vertically therethrough and adapted to received upwardly pointed nails. The blocks are interengaged and supported for symmetrical pivoting lateral movement by intermeshed quadrant gears. Guide means are secured to the blocks with these guide means adapted toengage the sides of a shoe last as the shoe last is inserted into the nail holder so that the blocks will adjust to the size of the last being inserted and thereby properly align the holes containing upwardly pointed nails with the bottom of the last for a subsequent nailing operation in which the nails are driven upwardly by a nail-driving mechanism on actuation of a hammer or the like.

The present invention relates to an .adjustable nail holder that is particularly useful with gang nailing machines.

Presently available gang nailing machines for nailing soles to the heel area of shoe uppers are not entirely satisfactory, particularly when split cases of different sized shoes are being processed. In gang nailing machines heretofore available, the nailing forming block has to be manually changed with each change of shoe size being processed through the machine. This change is necessary to make sure that the nails properly pass through the periphery of the sole and upper. Such changes slow the work process and limits the utility of such gang nailing machines in plants where processing of split cases of different' size shoes is common.

The present invention overcomes these and other problems by providing a device which permits successive gang nailing of different sized shoes without any manual changeover or adaptation of the machine. In the present invention the nailing or forming blocks automatically adjust so that the nails being driven through the shoe sole into the margins of the upper are located in different relative positions dependent upon the particular size sole being nailed.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a nail holder embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front plan view thereof, 1

FIG. 3 is a perspective view thereof with portions removed for clarity,

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are perspective view of components thereof, and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are fragmentary plan and elevational views respectively of a modification of the invention utiliz-v ing similar construction where not otherwise shown of the modification of FIGS. 1 to 6.

The present invention is designed for use with gang nailing machines for attaching dutchmans, rands and other sole components to the heel part of an upper mounted on a metal based last. Such machines are shown in United States patent application Ser. No. 274,002 filed Apr. 28, 1962. The attachment may also be used in other types of 3,404,824 Patented Oct. 8, 1968 nailing mechanism using gang nailing principles. For convenience, the embodiment of the invention described herein is adapted for use in the gang nailing machine described in the aforesaid patent application.

The adjustable nail holder generally indicated at 1 is suitably secured by bolts 2A passing through holes 2 in the frame 3 of the nail holder to the frame 3A of the gang nailing machine.

The frame 3 of the nail holder is positioned directly above a cyclically operated nail driver 4 and secures the nail holder 1 in alignment with a nail transfer mechanism 5 which is adapted to receive nails from a nail feed mechanism (not shown) and transfer these nails to the nail holder in a manner hereafter described. The nail driver 4 and nail transfer mechanism may be of any type, such for example, as described in the above mentioned application. The frame 3 illustrated in FIG. 3 consists of a yoke member having horizontally extending block like legs 11 and 12 interconnected by a crossmember 13. End posts 14 integrally secured to the outer sides of legs 11 and 12 extend upwardly and are provided with the holes 2 through which bolts 2A extend. Vertical holes 15 are provided to receive pins 32.

Suitably supported on the frame are a pair of symmetrically arranged nailing blocks 16 with one illustrated in FIG. 5. The nailing blocks 16 are substantially mirror images of each other and are arranged symmetrically on either side of a center plane through the nail holder 1. Each nailing block 16 is formed with a forward section 18, an intermediate section 19, and a rear section 20 (FIGS. 3 and 5). As illustrated only in FIGS. 3 and 5 for clarity, the forward section 18 has its forward wall 21 formed with a transverse channel or groove 22 adapted a shallow depression 28 shaped to conform with a portion of a last bottom. Preferably five holes 29 extend upwardly through the block 16 in an arcuate shape into this depression 28. The holes 29 of the blocks 16 are aligned to conform with the peripheral portion of a sole component such as a dutchman or rand. The forward sections of one block 16 may be formed with a notch 19A in the outer portion of forward section 18 to accommodate a guide member not shown of the transfer mechanism 5. The intermediate section 19 is formed with a downwardly extending shoulder section 30 within which a gear quadrant 31 is fixed to the block 16. Each quadrant 31 is pivotally mounted on pin 32 in turn which extend through hole 33 into hole 15 of frame 3 where it is supported and secured. The rear section 20 is formed with a rearwardly projecting portion having a surface 34 facing the opposite surface 34 of the other rear section of the other block 16. Interpositioned between these surfaces 34 is a helical expansion spring 43 having ends engaged by appropriate recesses in the surfaces 34. This spring tends to force these surfaces 34 away from each other. The outer surface 40 of the rear section 20 of each block 16 is adapted to be engaged by a stop screw 45 in turn suitably threaded and secured in a flange 46 which is integrally formed with the back stop casting 47 (FIG. 6). The back stop casting 47 comprises an elongated member 50 having holes 51. Suitable bolts pass through these holes 51 and symmetrically secure casting 47 to the rear of frame 3. The flanges 46 project rearwardly from member 47. and are symmetrically arranged on either side of rearwardly projecting boss 52 having threaded holes 53 formed in it. Stop screws 45 are threaded in aligned holes 54 and are directed toward one another.

Also formed integrally with each block 16 is a laterally extending projection 57 which extends from the block 16 adjacent the intermediate section 19. This projection 57 is formed with a channel or groove 58 adapted to receive and have secured within it the base of a guide member 59.

The guide member 59 is formed with a guide arm 60 supported on an angular member 61 the lower end of which may be secured in the channel 58. The guide member 59 is adjustable within the channel 58 in a lateral direction by the slot 63 and screw 67. The arm 65 may be adjustable forward and rearwardly by a suitable setscrew and slot arrangement 66 in the member 61 as illustrated in FIG. 3. The inner surface 68 of the arm 65 is appropriately covered with a felting or cloth and is contoured or shaped on its inner surface to engage a heel portion of a last. Each guide 59 is rigidly fixed to the block 16 by screw 67 passing through slot 63 into a hole in groove 58 so that movement of the guide 59 will cause appropriate and corresponding pivoting movement of the block 16 about pin 32.

A stop member 70 is secured to the boss 52 of casting 47. This stop member comprises a bracket 71 having a lower end secured to boss 52 by screws threaded into holes 53, and an upper forwardly extending arm 72 having a stop plate 73 secured to it. The stop plate 73 may be adjustably positioned on the forwardly extending arm 73 by a suitable set screw slot arrangement, such as illustrated at 74.

The nailing blocks 16 are suitably supported on the frame 3 and are synchronously moved by the intermeshed quadrant gears 31 which are keyed to pins 32 in turn keyed to rotate blocks 16. The blocks will rotate about these pins in response to movement of the guide members 59 when they are moved apart upon insertion of a last between the guide members 59 secured respectively to each of the blocks 16.

A fixed nailing block 80 is secured to the frame intermediate the nailing blocks 16. This fixed nailing block 80 is formed with a plurality of holes 81. The fixed nailing block 80 is positioned within a shoulder section or recess formed between the facing walls of the blocks 16. This fixed nailing block 80 has an upper surface that may have a shallow depression as illustrated at 83 in FIG. 3 with this depression forming a continuation of depression 28 of nailing blocks 16. The block 80 is secured by screws 84 to the upper surface of cross member 13 of frame 3.

A nail driving mechanism, best illustrated in FIG. 2, comprises a pair of independent nail driving bases 91 and 92. Each base has a lower section 93 with a bottom surface adapted to be engaged by the hammer 95 of an in- I fixed limits in this recess with post 97 secured in the recess by nut 99. The guide post is fixed at its upper end 98 to the bottom of the nailing blocks 16. A plurality of these guide posts may be used to assure a secure interengagement of the nail driving bases with the blocks, with the nail driving bases 91, 92 adapted to move in a vertical direction toward and away from the blocks. Also supported on the nail driving masses are a plurality of pins 100 with the bottom of the pins supported on to the nail driving bases and the upper ends extending into the holes 29 of the nailing blocks 16. Helical springs 101 coaxial with the pins 100 normally tension the nail driver downwardly away from the block 16, except when the pressure of these springs 101 is overcome by the upward force of the hammer 95. A similar construction is provided for the fixed nail block 80. In this arrangement pins 103 extend into holes 81 of block 80 with the lower end of these pins supported on a base plate adapted to be en gaged by hammer 95. Since nail block 80 is fixed guide posts may be eliminated.

In the operation of the modification shown in FIGS. 1

4 to 6, the operator first makes sure that nails are loaded into the holes 29 with their points extending upwardly. A suitable automatic loader can be used for this purpose. Following this, the operator places a heel over the nailing blocks 16 with the heel secured and held in position by the opposing guides 25. A last having an upper is then moved between guides 59 heel first, with the bottom of the last facing downwardly directly over the heel. Depending upon the size of the last, the guides 59 will move apart thus causing the block 16 to move a corresponding distance and thereby positioning the nail containing holes 29 in optimum locations with respect to the heel and last. Once the heel, last and. nails contained in the block 16 have been properly aligned, the operator actuates the nail driving mechanism by causing the hammer which may form part of a conventional nail driving machine, to move upwardly. The upward movement of the hammer 95 in turn causes the pins to move upwardly into the holes 29 driving the nails through the heel and into the periphery of the upper. The pins are then moved downwardly from the holes 29 and the last with the heel now secured to it is removedby the operator for subsequent processing.

The modification illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 is useful in connection with lasts of unusual shapes and sizes. It is particularly useful with lasts that do not slope toward the top in the usual fashion. In this arrangement like numerals refer to parts corresponding to those illustrated in FIGS. l-to 6, and parts not illustrated are similar to corresponding parts of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 6. Each guide member 59A is secured to the projection 57 of a block 16 by a screw 67A passing through a slot 63A in one leg of angular member 61A. The other edge of member 61A has secured to it a forwardly projecting member 57A. Secured by nut and bolt 65A to member 57A is a guide means 66A. This guide means has an arm 68A angled outwardly and terminating in a lip 72A formed with an aperture through which pin 69A extends. The guide means is also provided with a second arm 70A, the inner surface of which is shaped to conform with the heel portion of a shoe partially formed on a last along a line above the bottom of the last. Arm 70A is pivotally supported on pin 74A and is normally tensioned inwardly by spring 71A coaxially mounted on pin 69A between arms 68A and 70A. Pin 69A is secured between arms 68A and 70A by a nut threaded on the outer end of pin 72A and a small pin 73A which extends through a slot in arm 70A and pin 69A.

A plate 80A is secured to the outer surface of one leg 11 or 12 of frame 3 by screws 81A. Plate 80A has a stop screw 83A adjustably threaded through it to engage the nailing block 16.

In the operation of this modification both guide means are set so that both arms 70A are positioned to touch and centralize the smallest shoe being processed. When such a shoe is processed the unit will operate in the same fashion as the one previously described. When a larger shoe is forced between arms 70A side springs 71A which are stronger than back spring 43 permits the spreading of the unit to accommodate the larger shoe. If the shoe is quite large or is on an unusually shaped last, the spreading blocks 16 will be limited in their opening by engagement with screw 83A, but the arms 70A will be permitted further expansion to accommodate such a last.

What is claimed is:

1. A nail holder for use with gang nailing shoe machines comprising,

a frame adapted to be secured to a gang nailing machine,

a pair of nailing blocks with each having a plurality of holes extending vertically therethrough,

means supporting said blocks for pivotal movement means normally urging said blocks toward a selected position relative to each other, guide means having portions adapted for movement upon engagement by opposite parts of a partially completed shoe, said portions secured one to each of said blocks and adapted to move therewith, and

means for driving nails positioned in said holes upwardly into shoe components positioned above said blocks.

2. A nail holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for driving nails comprises a plurality of pins positioned one each in said holes, and support means for said pins engaging the lower ends thereof.

3. A nail holder as set forth in claim 2 having a third nailing block formed with a plurality of holes extending vertically therethrough with said holes of said third block adapted to receive one each of pins supported by said support means, said third block positioned intermediate said pair of nailing blocks.

4. A nail holder as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means supporting said blocks includes a pair of studs extending into said blocks and having intermeshed gear segments mounted one each thereon, said gear segments fixed one to each of said pair of blocks whereby said blocks may be simultaneously and symmetrically pivoted about said studs.

5. A nail holder as set forth in claim 3 wherein said support means comprise a plurality of plates positioned below said blocks,

a plurality of vertical posts secured to the lower surface of said blocks and slideably engaging said plates for movement to and away from said blocks,

means nominally tensioning said plates away from said blocks,

said plates supporting the lower ends of said pins with the upper ends extending upwardly into said holes, said plates adapted to be moved laterally with the movement of said blocks.

6. A nail holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein said guide means comprise symmetrical similar portions, each comprising a pair of arms with one arm fixed relative to a nailing block and the other arm movable with respect to said one arm, means tensioning said arms apart with said other arm adapted to engage said partially completed shoe.

7. A nail holder as set forth in claim 6 having stop means for limiting movement of said blocks in one direction whereby outward pressure on said other arm when said block engages said stop means will cause movement of said other arm relative to said one arm.

8. A nail holder as set forth in claim 7 wherein said means tensioning said arms apart comprises a helical spring interposed between and engaging said pair of arms.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,939,648 12/1933 Ashley 227-135 1,975,468 10/ 1934 Maodonald 227-135 2,271,561 2/1942 Lancaster 227-29 3,072,913 1/1963 Morgan et al. 227-l XR TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner. 

